Direct suture orifice for mechanical heart valve

Claim 2

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an orifice body having an outer circumference and defining a lumen therethrough; at least one occluder carried in the lumen of the orifice body and movable between an open position allowing flow through the lumen and a closed position blocking flow therethrough; an orifice flange having a plurality of suture holes defined therein, the orifice flange extending around and generally conforming to the outer circumference of the orifice body, the plurality of suture holes adapted for receiving a suture therethrough; a separate flange ring shaped to generally conform to the outer circumference of the orifice body and having a plurality of suture holes defined therein adapted for receiving the suture for attaching the heart valve to tissue of the heart and urging the orifice flange and the flange ring together such that a tissue annulus of the heart can be securely held between the orifice flange and the flange ring to reduce blood leakage therepast; and a gasket adjacent one of either the orifice flange or the flange ring for forming a tissue seal between the one flange ring and the tissue annulus to reduce blood leakage.

Claim 3

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the orifice flange is integral with the orifice body.

Claim 4

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the suture holes of the orifice flange comprise a plurality of suture receiving notches defined therein.

Claim 5

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 3 wherein the orifice flange includes a plurality of suture retaining lips adjacent the plurality of notches.

Claim 6

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 1 wherein the flange ring includes a suture locking mechanism.

Claim 7

The prosthetic heart valve prosthesis of claim 1 including a second gasket adjacent the orifice flange for forming a tissue seal between the orifice flange and the tissue annulus to reduce blood leakage.

Claim 8

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 5 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a cap having a plug adapted to fit into a suture hole thereby locking the suture in place.

Claim 9

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 5 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a chamfered slot formed in a suture hole and ball fitting therein to secure the suture between the ball and the chamfered slot.

Claim 10

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 5 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a spring adjacent a suture hole positioned to apply pressure to the suture.

Claim 11

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an orifice body having an outer circumference and defining a lumen therethrough, the orifice body including a rim; at least one occluder carried in the lumen of the orifice body and movable between an open position allowing flow through the lumen and a closed position blocking flow therethrough; a first flange ring having a plurality of suture holes defined therein, the first flange ring extending around and generally conforming to the outer circumference of the orifice body, the plurality of suture holes adapted for receiving a suture therethrough; and a second flange ring shaped to generally conform to the outer circumference of the orifice body and having a plurality of suture holes defined therein adapted for receiving the suture for attaching the heart valve to tissue of the heart and urging the first ring and the second flange ring together such that a tissue annulus of the heart can be securely held between the first flange ring and the second flange ring to reduce blood leakage therepast; wherein the rim separates the first flange ring and the second flange ring such that at least one of the flange rings abuts the rim.

Claim 12

A prosthetic heart valve for implantation in a heart, comprising: an orifice body having an outer circumference and defining a lumen therethrough, the orifice body including a rim; at least one occluder carried in the lumen of the orifice body and movable between an open position allowing flow through the lumen and a closed position blocking flow therethrough; a first flange ring having a plurality of suture holes defined therein, the first flange ring extending around and generally conforming to the outer circumference of the orifice body, the plurality of suture holes adapted for receiving a suture therethrough; and a second flange ring shaped to generally conform to the outer circumference of the orifice body and having a plurality of suture holes defined therein adapted for receiving the suture for attaching the heart valve to tissue of the heart and urging the first ring and the second flange ring together such that a tissue annulus of the heart can be securely held between the first flange ring and the second flange ring to reduce blood leakage therepast; wherein the rim separates the first flange ring and the second flange ring such that at least one of the flange rings abuts the rim.

Claim 13

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the suture holes of the first ring comprise a plurality of suture receiving notches defined therein.

Claim 14

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 11 wherein the first ring includes a plurality of suture retaining lips adjacent the plurality of notches.

Claim 15

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 including a gasket adjacent the flange ring for forming a tissue seal between the second flange ring and the tissue annulus to reduce blood leakage.

Claim 16

The prosthetic heart valve prosthesis of claim 13 including a second gasket adjacent the first ring for forming a tissue seal between the first ring and the tissue annulus to reduce blood leakage.

Claim 17

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 10 wherein the second flange ring includes a suture locking mechanism adjacent the suture hole for locking a suture therein.

Claim 18

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 15 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a cap having a plug adapted to fit into a suture hole thereby locking the suture in place.

Claim 19

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 15 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a chamfered slot formed in a suture hole and ball fitting therein to secure the suture between the ball and the chamfered slot.

Claim 20

The prosthetic heart valve of claim 15 wherein the suture locking mechanism comprises a spring adjacent a suture hole positioned to apply pressure to the suture.